The Department of Statistics and Research announces that it has published the annual report “Construction and Housing Statistics 1998”. The report provides data, inter alia, on the output, capital formation, inputs, new dwellings completed, building permits and price indices of labour cost and materials, for the construction sector.

2. The main developments in the Construction sector in 1998 were:

(a) The sector recorded a negative rate of growth of 0,3% in 1998 compared to a negative rate of 3,7% in 1997. This is attributed mostly to the lower rate of growth of dwelling projects in the Housing sector.

(b) Gross output, at current market prices, increased by 2,4% and reached £649,7 million in 1998 compared to £ 634,5 million in 1997. Of the gross output, 42% was for dwellings, 23% for non-residential buildings (hotels, shops, offices, factories etc), 23% for civil engineering projects (roads, dams etc) and the remaining 12% accounted for repairs.

(c) Labour cost during 1998 increased by 5,0% compared to 1997. The overall price index of construction materials rose by 0,6% over 1997.

(d) New dwellings completed in 1998 decreased by 7,7% and amounted to 6.599 units compared to 7.148 in the previous year. The average area per dwelling completed in 1998 was 219 square metres for houses and 118 square metres for apartments compared to 230 and 128 in 1997.

(e) Employment in the sector decreased from 24,8 thousand persons in 1997 to 24,5 thousand in 1998 and accounted for 8,5% of the total gainfully employed population.

3. The Report is available from the Government Printing Office in Nicosia at the price of C£6,00.